BURGOYNE, John (1722-1792), Major General. Autograph letter signed ("J. Burgoyne") to Continental Major General William Heath (1737-1814), Cambridge, 9 March 1778. 2½ pages, 4to, page 4 with autograph address panel, docketed on verso: "From Genl. Burgoyne relative to his dispatches and a number of private letters on board of Juno...(Copy sent to Congress)," patch to small hole on address leaf, neat repair to seal tear, otherwise in fine condition. "GENTLEMAN JOHNNY," AS A PRISONER OF WAR After Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga (17 October 1777), he and his army were held in Boston, pending embarkation to England. On 8 January 1778, however, Congress resolved that Burgoyne and the "Convention Army" would be detained until Britain's ratification of the surrender terms. Here, Burgoyne asks permission to relay personal correspondence overseas: "...I have to request you to convey the packet transmitted herewith [not present]...to the officer commanding the flag of truce...on board the Juno. As you consented some days past to my sending to Lord [William] Howe copies of the resolutions of Congress & of my dispatches in answer I conclude Sir you can have no objection to my sending duplicates, one by Sea, the other by the exchanged officers who are to go by land..." Captain Dalrymple, he reports "has many private letters for me and for the army in his possession. I should hope you would permit them to be delivered unopened." In the case of letters addressed to the prisoners, "as no intelligence we can receive can in our present situation possibly affect the interest of America you have it in your power to lay this army under obligation for one of the greatest pleasures of life--that of hearing of their friends..." Congress finally allowed Burgoyne and two other officers to return to England in April, but required most of the army to remain prisoners under the justification that Burgoyne had violated the Saratoga terms; the Convention Army was later marched to central Virginia, where it remained for the next four years.
BURGOYNE, John (1722-1792), Major General. Autograph letter signed ("J. Burgoyne") to Continental Major General William Heath (1737-1814), Cambridge, 9 March 1778. 2½ pages, 4to, page 4 with autograph address panel, docketed on verso: "From Genl. Burgoyne relative to his dispatches and a number of private letters on board of Juno...(Copy sent to Congress)," patch to small hole on address leaf, neat repair to seal tear, otherwise in fine condition. "GENTLEMAN JOHNNY," AS A PRISONER OF WAR After Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga (17 October 1777), he and his army were held in Boston, pending embarkation to England. On 8 January 1778, however, Congress resolved that Burgoyne and the "Convention Army" would be detained until Britain's ratification of the surrender terms. Here, Burgoyne asks permission to relay personal correspondence overseas: "...I have to request you to convey the packet transmitted herewith [not present]...to the officer commanding the flag of truce...on board the Juno. As you consented some days past to my sending to Lord [William] Howe copies of the resolutions of Congress & of my dispatches in answer I conclude Sir you can have no objection to my sending duplicates, one by Sea, the other by the exchanged officers who are to go by land..." Captain Dalrymple, he reports "has many private letters for me and for the army in his possession. I should hope you would permit them to be delivered unopened." In the case of letters addressed to the prisoners, "as no intelligence we can receive can in our present situation possibly affect the interest of America you have it in your power to lay this army under obligation for one of the greatest pleasures of life--that of hearing of their friends..." Congress finally allowed Burgoyne and two other officers to return to England in April, but required most of the army to remain prisoners under the justification that Burgoyne had violated the Saratoga terms; the Convention Army was later marched to central Virginia, where it remained for the next four years.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
